Quality Dairy on Trowbridge to close May 7

FRIDAY, April 29 — The locally owned convenience chain Quality Dairy will close its store on Trowbridge Road in East Lansing on May 7.

President/CEO Stan Martin said the store, which opened about 20 years ago, has suffered from the cutback in married housing for Michigan State University on nearby Harrison Road.

He also cited longtime issues with traffic that backs up on Trowbridge resulting from the railroad tracks around the corner to the south on Trowbridge. That affects customers who are stymied trying to get in and out of the store quickly, he said.

“What’s happened is the area has changed dramatically,” he said.

Also, he said, Trowbridge has not developed as envisioned because it was never extended to become a major east-west road across campus, as was once contemplated.

He said the store has long been problematical because it was built for a fast-food operation, not a convenience store.

He said the company has the property up for sale, but he did not foreclose the option of rebuilding there.

“We want to take the time and see what’s going to happen with all the vacant housing,” Martin said.

Martin said Quality Dairy has closed or moved a few stores before. It has 30 other locations, he said.